Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1887-12-16
EAcIS ABOUT Badness.
Valuable Information as to How 1t Comes
and How to Treat 1t.

and How to Treat 1t
DIR. T. G. jackson read a paper re-
gently before the New York County
Medical Society on badness and It's
treatment. He described four varieties
of badness, or alopecia: l. Alopecia
adnata. the congenital form; 2. A.
senilis; g. A. premature; A. A. areata'
A. senilis is that form which occurs in
old age. or after the age of forty-hve,
and is often preceded or accompanied
bv gravness of the hair. Its cause is
gradual hardening of the simultaneous
tissues of the scalp and a diminntion OF
blood supply, followed by an oblitera-
ton of the hair follicles. 1t is bat one
expression of that general lowering OF
nutrition incident to advancing years
When the scalp is atrophied nothing
can be done in the way of treatment,
but prophylaxis may do a great deal IN
postponing those changes.
A. premature Is that form OF badness
which occurs before the forty-fifth year.
OF this there are two varieties, the lido
pathic and the symptomatic. The
former occurs most commonly between
the age of twenty-five and thirty-iiye,
and is not due to any antecedent or
concomitant disease. 1t differs from
the senile form in occurring at an ear
licr age, and in being unaccompanied
by other signs of diminished physical
vigor, such as loss of teeth, dizziness OF
sight and hearing The chief cause OF
this variety is heredity. Every one has
known of families in which the fathers
and sons have become bald at very
early age. Another cause is improper
or deficient care of the scalp. 1t is a
common practice for men to souse the
head daily in water. Ellinger has noted
this habit in eighty-five per cent. of his
cases of badness. Thinkers and brain
workers are very often bald. Eaton
| found. in the audiences attendant upon
churches and operas in Boston, that
from forty to nfty per cent. of the men
were bald; while in cheap museums and
at prize fights the percentage was only
twelve to twenty-five. Stiff hats may
cause badness by COMPRISING the ar
tcries that supply the scalp. Tight and
anventilated hats make the scalp warn
and cause it to perspire, thus favorine
badness. King says that badness o.
the vertex is due to compression by
stiff hats of the arteries which supply
that part. The little tuft of hair otter
observed on the top of the forehead il
nourished by arteries which escape
pressure.
| That women do not become bald 81
often rs men is probably because the,
preserve the cushion of fat under tn,
scalp longer than men do. They dc
not wear their hats as much as men
nor are these so closely fitting, or mad
of such impermeabe material. The,
also give more attention to the hair
and do not wet the head so often. o
all these reasons DR. jackson regard
the preservation of the fat and connec
tive tissue of the scalp, and the create
care OF the scalp, as the most impor
tant.
The treatment of this variety of bald
ness is mainly one of prophylaxis an,
hygiene. In families where it is hered
itary this should begin at birth an
continue through life. The scalp Shout
be kept clean by an occasional sham
poo of soap and water, borax and water
or some such simple means. Thi
should not be repeated oftener tina
once in two or three weeks; and afte
the washing the scalp should be care
fully dried, and vaseline or sweet-a
mond oil applied. Women should DIR
the hair by the fire, or in the sun, an
not dress it until dry. The hair shout
be thoroughly brushed and combe
daily, for five or ten minutes, wit
vigor sufficient to make the seal
glow For this brush should hay
long and moderately stiff bristles, st
in groups widely separated from eac
other Such brush will reach tn
! scalp, and brush ont the dust. A com
with large, smooth teeth should be use
with the brush, to open up the hair I
the air. Pomades should not be usec
and the daily sousing of the hair dis
continued. Women should not us
bandolino, nor pull or twist the hail
, nor scorch it with curling irons, nc
smother it under false hair. Easy fl
TING, light and ventilated hats shout
he worn, and working under hot art
= fetal light should be avoided. Nj
Goninlock, writing on badness, give
t it as his opinion that it is due principal
to the high hat and the hard felt ha
and to any other covering that COZ
strictS the blood vessels which nouris
/, the hair bulbs. Few, he says, will e,
5 cape the evil effects of twenty or thirt
years OF rigid tight-titting hats, til
B destructive process being delayed onl
4 by the lcngth and frequency of respit
from this tourniquet of fashion.
Science.
Habit Is the dress of character.
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